06.01.03 - 1:29 am

at dusk we returned to bald hill.

justin, russell, brain, john and myself. and my dog. we entered the plains at the foot of the mountain, dressed in camoflauge, armed to the teeth with a BB gun with a duct taped bayonette, a large knife strapped to justins thigh, and a dog with a temper like a storm of hornets. we took our first steps into the night only to discover

gasp!

no flashlights. no artificial illumination of any kind. marooned by our own lack of vison. russell, brain and i stayed put while justin and john retreated for the candles.

we continued on.

eventually we stopped, as brain had become concerned and returned to the entrance to greet our allies apon their return. russell and i retreated to the shadows of the wheat field to wait for further contact.

in the darkness we rested. eyes teasing the tops of the wind blown grasses. silence. only the wind and the symphony of frogs. cody ate the buffet of grasses at his leisure while russell and i quietly whispered. the brain was on his way back. we hid in silence. swayed with the wind. moved ever so slightly to mask our position. and our scent. the brain was easily fooled.

when he had passed and disappeared, we remained quiet. to my right off in the distance, a car door shutting, and bursts of brightness from a flashlight. and talking. they were moving through the fields instead of the path. their clever wit would be the end of them.

ever so cautiously, russell and i stood to scan in all directions. we started forward. follwing the path then veering to the right uphill past a portopotty, i clumsily stumbled down an invisible stair case. foolishly i remained on the ground, stunned at my own clumsiness. we proceeded on.....

............to be continued after my slumber.